The death toll of the Turkey-Syria earthquake has reached a staggering 19,000. This latest update is heart-wrenching and aching as there are still many more thousands that are still stuck beneath the ruins. The Monday earthquake measured 7.7 followed by another 7.5 after the shock has been devastating with hopes of ever finding more survivors stuck in the rubble becoming slimmer by the hour.
The UN and nations across the world have rallied support to provide assistance to Turkey and Syria in this hard time.
The tragedy and devastation in Turkey’s Hatay province have been the most worrying as there are more persons still stuck under huge piles of rubble.
Thermal cameras used at the residence of Ghanaian football player, Christian Atsu have confirmed that many people are alive under the rubble following earthquakes in Turkey.
Earthquakes in Turkey can be highly destructive, due to the country’s location on several active seismic zones. Turkey is situated at the crossroads of the African and Eurasian tectonic plates, which makes it prone to earthquakes.
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Over the past few decades, Turkey has experienced several earthquakes with high magnitude and significant loss of life and property. For example, the 1999 İzmit earthquake had a magnitude of 7.4 and caused widespread damage and loss of life in the Marmara region of Turkey. Similarly, the 2020 Elazığ earthquake in eastern Turkey had a magnitude of 6.8 and caused widespread damage and loss of life.
To mitigate the impact of earthquakes, Turkey has taken a number of measures, including the implementation of building codes and the retrofitting of older buildings. However, many buildings, especially in the older parts of cities, still remain vulnerable to earthquakes, and it is essential that the country continues to invest in earthquake preparedness and response measures to minimize the impact of future earthquakes.